Clovis Police Department to deploy new aides

Their uniforms will be yellow and black, they won't have a firearm or handcuffs and their strongest police power will be writing parking tickets if they need to.

That's a brief description of the new Police Service Aide (PSA) position in the Clovis Police Department (CPD), approved unanimously by Clovis City Commissioners at their first regular meeting of April.

Commissioners heard from CPD Deputy Police Chief Trevor Thron as he went through a PowerPoint presentation on PSA personnel.

"Their main job is to help police officers," Thron said.

Thron listed a few of the functions of the PSA: Response to non-emergency, non- hazardous service calls; minor traffic accidents; property crime reports; helping officers with traffic control; evidence collection, traffic crash documentation, scene security.

PSAs will also be patrolling the city regarding safety, crime prevention and detection and community outreach.

Thron said PSAs will help with community events such as parades, the Fourth of July and gatherings and other duties.

Thron said one of the purposes of the PSAs is to groom young people 18 to 21 years old for police work. The job is also targeted toward retired law enforcement personnel. He said finding people who wish to go into police work is becoming increasingly difficult. It is hoped the PSA position will get people interested in law enforcement as a career.

The Police Service Aides will also be seen in cars marked "PSA."

PSA personnel are part of police departments in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Alamogordo and Las Cruces with good results, according to Thron.

Thron said the initial force will consist of two full-time PSAs and four part-time PSAs.

Starting pay for the position is $17.79 per hour.

In other business, proclamations were issued for April being declared as "New Mexico Month of the Military Child" and "Water Conservation Month."

Area resident Jack Muse appeared before the commission asking for action on preserving water behind the dam on Ned Houk Park acreage.

Muse was concerned for over 50 years water has been running around the dam.

"I'm encouraging we retain water behind the dam," Muse told The News Friday. "They have taken some action, but it's not complete."

It is believed water behind the dam will recharge the aquifer.

Muse said the matter will be an action item at the commission's April 26 meeting.

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the application for several grants for city projects not granted Capital Outlay funds in the recent legislative session.

Some of the projects listed were the Purdue Drainage Project and design and work on Llano Estacado Boulevard east of Norris Street.